Fortnite Returns to iOS, Android Nearly Five Years After Lawsuit-Slinging Over Monopolies Started

Nearly five years after it vanished off the world’s biggest app stores, Fortnite has returned to iOS—and a massive chunk of its audience.

Fortnite was originally taken off the App Store and Google Play in 2020 after Apple caught Epic Games trying to circumvent the App Store’s in-app payment with its own, which takes a 30% cut of all sales. Fortnite launched a massive anti-Apple campaign in the wake of this, including a now-iconic “Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite” trailer that parodied the already-iconic “1984” Apple commercial.

The situation went to court, where Epic accused Apple and Google of having monopolies over the mobile app marketplace, and Apple even attempted to counter-sue. Epic eventually won its biggest claim regarding Apple’s monopoly. (In Europe, Fortnite had already returned in January 2024 due to anti-monopoly legislation amounting to much of the same conclusion.) 

In the wake of this ruling, Epic already doubled down on its independent transaction systems, announcing a “webstore” feature for developers who are utilizing the Epic Games Store. 

This development means that Fortnite on iOS probably just straight-up jumps from Chapter 2: Season Three to Chapter 6: Season 3. Whewph. For those willing to make that jump, there’s a new Burnoff Outfit available to those who log in on Android or iOS.